Africa-Press – Mozambique. One month after Senegal’s victory over Morocco in the final of AFCON 2025, the match continues to fuel debate within African football. The final, played in a tense atmosphere, was marked by several controversial moments, including refereeing decisions, a stoppage following the awarded penalty to Morocco, and the temporary walk-off by Senegalese players. Although Senegal ultimately secured the title thanks to a goal from Pape Gueye, the encounter left deep scars, especially for the host nation.
The controversy resurfaced during a recent meeting of the Confederation of African Football executive committee. Olivier Safari, head of CAF’s referees committee, admitted that referees deliberately chose not to sanction Senegalese players who left the pitch, in order to avoid the match being abandoned.
This revelation suggested that officials knowingly deviated from the rules to preserve the final, a decision that may have directly influenced the outcome.
The strongest words came from Samir Sobha, member of the CAF executive committee and president of the Mauritian Football Federation. He publicly apologized to the Moroccan Football Federation, stating that the Moroccans were “robbed” and that the regulations were not respected.
While acknowledging that the trophy cannot be taken away from the Senegal national football team, he insisted that an injustice had clearly been committed. Coming from a senior CAF official, these statements are likely to intensify pressure on the governing body and keep the AFCON final under scrutiny for some time.
